Where those associated with Western films from around the world are laid to rest.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

RIP Sandra Giles

Hollywood Film And TV Actress Sandra Giles Has Died At
The Age Of 84

Highlight Hollywood

By Tommy Lightfoot Garrett

December 26, 2016

Hollywood icon Sandra Giles died peacefully Sunday night
at home in the Hancock Park region of Los Angeles. She was 84.Born, Lelia Bernice Giles, in Hooker,
Oklahoma on July 24, 1932, Sandra Giles began her career early on in Texas.
Unwilling to hide her beauty, Sandra, instead, capitalized on it and won
several distinguished beauty contests, including: Miss San Antonio and Miss
Corpus Christi, before going on to conquer Hollywood.

In the 1950s and ’60, Sandra starred in several TV series
such as: “Columbo”, “The Odd Couple”, and “Adam 12″. Also, during the 1960s she
was a scene stealer in popular television shows such as, “Burke’s Law”,
“Bachelor Father”, and the ever popular TV western series, “Rawhide”. In 1957,
it was “The People’s Choice” TV series where she truly caught Hollywood’s
attention, not only for her glamorous looks, but for her genuine talent as an
actress. She was named “Miss 8-Ball” by the Los Angeles Press Club in December
1957. In October of 1957, her appearance on the “The Tom Duggan Television
Show” was all the rage. The show was later cancelled because they claimed she
was showing “more cleavage than clothing.” But that was typical Hollywood hype.
Sandra Giles was a true lady.

Fans fell in love with Sandra Giles in 1970, as both the
Harem Dancer and Dr. Greta Gault in “Land of the Giants”. She was often linked
to some of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors.

Sandra Giles was smarter than anyone ever gave her credit
for. She not only owned a restaurant in Studio City for many years, but had a
lucrative career in the 1990s as a real estate agent.

She is survived by her daughter, Sandra Piller, wife of
the late Michael Piller, and two grandchildren, Shawn Piller and Brent Piller.

About Me

Born in Toledo, Ohio in 1946 I have a BA degree in American History from Cal St. Northridge. I've been researching the American West and western films since the early 1980s and visiting filming sites in Spain and the U.S.A. Elected a member of the Spaghetti Western Hall of Fame 2010.